Review Of 'Monty Python's Spamalot'

FAIRFAX CITY, VA - From The Cappies: By Alexa Schwartzman of Oakton High School: Holy Grail! You will go cocoNUTS for George Mason High School's hilarious production of Monty Python's Spamalot. Bursting with different people, multi-talented people, people who need people, and who are, in many ways, the luckiest people in the world, this show exceeded all expectations for a royal, medieval quest. A musical comedy based on the movie, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, it is a spoof of the Legend of The Knights of the Round Table. It follows a small army of knights as they attempt to track down a magical missing mug, facing ridiculous obstacles along the way. Spamalot hit Broadway under the direction of Mike Nichols in 2005. Winning 3 Tony Awards and running for 4 years, Spamalot brought laughter to over 1,500 audiences and now George Mason has brought it to another.

The level of energy from the entire cast was through the roof. Robin (Morgan O'Keefe), Lancelot (Michael Curtin) Dennis Galahad (Charlie Boland), and Bedevere (Lizzie Reid) made up the honorable Knights of the Round Table. The exuded madness in perfect harmony, producing an aura of stupidity to make the audience roar. Their leader, King Arthur (Miles Jackson) and his stooge, Patsy (Will Langan) drove their adventure with wide eyes and high spirits. This troop shined in musical numbers like Knights of the Round Table, You Won't Succeed on Broadway, and His Name Is Lancelot, with their premium vocals and personalized dance moves. They particularly light up the stage with their horse-less horseback riding and creative uses of coconuts. The Lady of the Lake brought a charming touch to the production with her performance of Whatever Happened to My Part. The outstanding ensemble of French Taunters, led by Ciara Curtin, were fearless with their slander of Arthur's mighty K-nig-hits.

Other ensembles such as the Monks and the Bodies startled everyone with their ability to hold somber expressions in the mist of hitting themselves in the face with bibles or dancing to He Is Not Dead Yet. Each actor was engaged completely in his scene, clearly looking on the bright side of life as they performed.

Surrounding the performers was a set of epic proportions. Radiant castles, rolling fields, and rumbling clouds basked in colorful strobe lights and the glow of the delicate cyclorama. With fish, a decapitated chicken, loose limbs, and enough stuffed animals to fill a zoo, the endless supply of props added another layer of humor to the show. The orchestra played beautifully, never overpowering the vocalists or missing a note. To top it all off, the costumes and makeup were spot on to the image one would see on Broadway. Uniform outfits for each ensemble, dirt, pores, and scratches on the poor, and fake beards portrayed each character as their own. The overall excellence of tech displayed in this show would earn 3/3 stars, no more, no less. Three shall be the number of stars tech receives, the stars received shall be three. 4 is too high, 2 is too low too. 5 is right out. 3/3 stars is what tech should earn.

This show proved that slap-stick humor is not dead yet! George Mason High School did a phenomenal job at finding the perfect balance between funny and cheesy, creating an evening of laughter and joy for everyone on stage and off.

Photo courtesy of Carol Sly